United: Mikael bait for Italians

MIKAEL Silvestre could be a transfer makeweight in United's bid to lure Inter Milan's Esteban Cambiasso to Old Trafford in the summer. The defender refused an approach from Lyon to take him back to France last month.

MIKAEL Silvestre could be a transfer makeweight in United's bid to lure Inter Milan's Esteban Cambiasso to Old Trafford in the summer.

The defender refused an approach from Lyon to take him back to France last month.

Despite the Reds spending é12.5m on defensive imports Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra last month and Sir Alex Ferguson's willingness to off-load the 28-year-old, Silvestre is prepared to stick it out with United.

But he could be tempted away from Old Trafford by his old club, Italian giants Inter.

The Reds signed the defender from the Italians in September 1999 for é4m, but they are said to be prepared to do a deal in the summer that would take Argentine midfield hard man Cambiasso to United for é5m, plus Silvestre.

Silvestre's United deal ends next year and it would appear unlikely it will be renewed, so the Reds will be keen to get some value out of a Silvestre transfer before his contract runs out and he is allowed to leave on a free transfer.

Fergie, who is still searching for a replacement for Roy Keane in the centre of United's midfield, is also looking at sealing a deal to bring another Argentinian, tough guy, Deportivo La Coruna's Aldo Duscher, to Old Trafford. Duscher has said: "It's true that United have made contact again and this time a transfer looks the likely option."